Where in the world is the Williams family?---New season

Hello everybody! I figured I would write a post so that I didn't have to respond to 100 messages about where we will be this season! :) So here goes...

WE ARE BACK!!!! We are heading back to our previous team. We spent this past season with Lietkabelis in Lithuania. If you have followed along with the blog this year you would know that it was an amazing season for Zo, his team, and the organization. Prior to this past season we were in Germany and when we made that transition to Lithuania it was about heading to a higher level of competition for Zo. This happened. Good happened. Basketball was FIERCE this past year.

Also, if you have been following along you will remember the struggles. I struggled as a wife and mom because of our location. The country does not have much diversity in culture and people, and Logan did not have a school (we were used to this in Germany and in the states). I felt like I wasn't at my best, I wasn't giving Logan my best, and I was feeling secluded. These thoughts haven't changed going into next season...but God is funny like that, and my ATTITUDE has.

So here is the deal...

1. Basketball is #1 right now. It will only be this way for a few more years and it is extremely important for Zo to continue to grow, thrive, and showcase what he loves (and is pretty darn good at).

2. We are going back to an organization that TRULY wants Zo there. We turned down lots of teams this summer, we knew with a distinct NO God was saying this isn't for you. Several offers were great! They were in large cities, they had great schools, they had great weather, and one of my favorite offers was on a beach in France! :) But with each offer, there were also big basketball setbacks that could potentially put Zo in a position to not do well.

3. If it ain't broke don't fix it! Ever heard that saying? Zo's team was successful, they played well together and got along, the chemistry was good, and they had many triumphs as a team. There is not much of a reason to change that or to think that it won't be just as good as last year. The team is playing in the same international competition (Euro Cup) and the Lithuanian league.

So we decided to go back.

When the end of last season came, I was SURE there was not a possibility to return. It's a business and we just weren't confident in all the logistics. I also thought for sure there was no way that I could handle another winter in Lithuania and that poor Logan couldn't either. We thought things wouldn't go back to the same because the coach left as well as some other players. We just didn't see this team as an option again. But we were wrong.

I was wrong.

It will be difficult to return to the cold winters, the loneliness and busy travel with Zo's schedule, the lack of Americans on the team and in the area, Logan not having his school or social interaction like we want for him, and for the lack of items in the grocery stores :).

But you know what we ARE returning to?

A WINNING team, a crazy fan base that was amazing last year, families that took us into their homes, friends that break all the language barriers with smiles, a financial gain, a spot and chance at Euro Cup competition again, friends that are just an hour or two away, a great homeschool program for Logan I will be using (I mean...sometimes I forget I was a teacher before I was a mama bear), time with my family, and lots of trips away--Spain & Germany are already planned.

Our lives are basketball. I knew this the day I saw my handsome husband at Rice University. Our life revolves around basketball. I knew this in 2014 when life was tough and he was set on not giving up the game after injury and set back.

Ephesians 5:22-33
22 Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. 24 But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her; 26 that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless. 28 So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; 29 for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, 30 because we are members of His body. 31 For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh. 32 This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless let each individual among you also love his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see to it that she respect her husband.

The bottom line is that basketball is Zo's job and he works incredibly hard to be the best, the strongest, and by gosh the most humble. He does EVERYTHING for his family. He works so hard to give Logan and I everything we need and want. HE WORKS HARD. He doesn't ask for anything, he doesn't spend money on himself, and he would give anything to help a friend. 

Zo asked me what I wanted, logistics or comfortability and I chose logistics. 

So I submit. More than I ever have in our marraige. I submit to the will of our Savior and the decision that we prayed for. I submit to the uncomfortable, the unknown, the scary. Because God makes no mistakes, He leads every single step, and if we ask for exceedingly, abundantly, and above our imagination, He will do. And HE has, and we are grateful. Another incredible opportunity and season for Zo to shine when the lights are on, another opportunity for Logan and I to bond, to create memories, and to grow together. Another year to travel this incredible world God has created and create more moments with my little tribe. Another year for me to grow individually and spiritually and for me to have more time for my health and fitness business to bloom. 

So cheers to another great season! and we can't wait to return to Panevezys! Let's go Lietkabelis!!

xo,
Morgan 

Our Testimony--Part 3--The Finale

How much have we enjoyed sharing our testimony with you all? Sharing God's undeserving grace, goodness, and blessings? SO MUCH. We knew sharing our testimony was part of God's calling. As much as we thought "who cares" "no one cares to read or know" "mind your business"--we knew sharing was apart of the journey and hearing feedback from others about how it encouraged or helped them has made every word, minute, and memories that we have shared worth it. 

This is the last part of our testimony but not the end. God continues to work on us as a couple, as parents, and with Zo's career. We will continue to share what God lays on our hearts and I will continue to share my blog with health, life, and fitness with you all. So cheers to part 3 and the future ahead. Thanks for reading and being part of our process these past weeks of sharing. 

Part 3…the finale…the praise report is here. So lets get to it.

So what happened this season in Lithuania?

-The team hit 2^nd place in the Lithuanian league---1^st time ever in the history of the team.

-The team received the silver medal (2^nd place) in the Lithuanian cup for the first time in the team’s history.

-Zo broke the league record for assist/turnover ratio.

-Zo made top 10 in 3 different categories in Eurocup.

-The team went to the top 16 in Eurocup. This was a first for Zo and the team.

-Zo had some of the highest shooting percentages of his career.

-The team SWEPT the first round of play offs for the first time in team history.

-The team WON 2^nd place in the league finals for the FIRST time in history.

-The team won the series of semi-final games 3-1, for the FIRST time in history.

Good happened this season. Coming off of an injury no one really wanted to take a risk on Zo. “They weren’t sure if I was having a serious injury, if I was just getting “old”, if I wasn’t ready to play. Teams wondered why I only played ½ of the season last year, it was really hard.” (Zo). This team took a risk on Zo and definitely reaped the reward. It was a win/win. They needed Zo and we really needed that chance. 10 years…it took TEN years and Zo was able to showcase the best numbers and highest competition of his career!! ----Let me repeat that real quickly in case you missed it. Zo, in his TENTH year of his job competed and was given the chance to showcase his highest numbers and highest competition of his career. All this occurred after 2 seasons of losses, of no one taking a chance on him, of low numbers and low playing time.

God is good y’all! That’s the bottom line.

When God tested our FAITH---We remembered all the times before that He never let us down and we continued to be in fast and prayer trusting He would never fail us. We kept coming back to that verse: “If you will have faith the size of a mustard seed…” That was it. God just needed us to have faith that He would make a way, even when it seems there wasn’t one.

When God tested our MARRIAGE—When we wanted to argue, be upset, point the finger…we didn’t. We just didn’t. We stayed on each other’s team. When the going gets tough you have to have your team. You are each other’s best asset and you have to stick together. We didn’t go to bed angry. Some days were hard, some phone calls were sad, depressing, frustrating, but we had to work that out before bedtime. We didn’t let feelings stay inside; we let them out every time we felt them. Not only is our marriage sacred and number 1, but we have a sweet little boy that’s watching how we treat each other, and that’s motivation in itself! We want to give Logan great examples; we want him to always say, “Dada loves mama so much.” We want Logan to see me give dada hugs and kisses and tell dada I love him…because I do, we do…forever.

When God tested our FINANCES---Who likes to talk about money? I don’t. God really broke us in this area and tested our faith a lot. Zo was without a job for almost 12 months total, that’s 12 months without an income. This isn’t easy, its stressful, its tough. So what did we do? We adjusted. We didn’t take any cool vacations, we didn’t spend any extra money for a while, we didn’t really do too much extra, and we couldn’t. We wanted to make sure that things were going to sustain if Zo didn’t work for another 12, 18, or 24 months. What we DID do is continue giving God His tithes. No matter what you are going through, no matter how much you think you don’t have…give it to HIM. It is all His anyways.

When God tested our CIRCLE ---Can I tell you about real friends and family? Where are they when you’re down, where are they when you are hurting? Are they still there? Are they behind your back gossiping about your life? Are they happy to see you failing? Are they wishing for your setback and not hoping for your comeback?

I strongly believe we have some of the best people in the world in our circle. Seriously. These 2 years just would not have been possible without our friends and families help. There is just no way. From anything and everything they held us together, they helped, they loved, they prayed, they gave; it’s just incredible. We truly know that God made their hearts extra big these past two years (even though they already were big hearted). From helping us with house things—our neighbors know my mom by her first name! To late night dinners—that are especially good when they are with the Traubers AND a bonus guest room that fits all 3 of us! (Thankfully!!).  Everyone that was praying without ceasing, loving on us, helping us with Logan, TIME, you name it!

And our friends? Oh man, we’ve got some good ones. Surprise parties, helping with Logan, inviting us over, praying for us, coming to visit us and hang out, our church friends that laid hands on us, it was just special. Those that couldn’t physically be with us still reached out, called, checked on us, sent us mail, just so much love in our circle we are so grateful. We have had so much love these past two years I cant even put into words or think about what we would have done without them all!

When God tested our HEARTS/COMMITMENT ----On the days we felt like giving up, we remembered to stay committed. It is so easy to praise Him in the good, but praising in the storm is tough. You have no umbrella, you’re cold, you’re wet, you’re tired, and you want to just give up. But you can’t. God prepared us for the storms and He wont let us sink. And even though at times we thought we were sinking, we really weren’t.

WE ARE HUMBLED

WE ARE GRATEFUL

WE ARE BLESSED

WE ARE HIGHLY FAVORED

WE ARE LOVED

chat soon with updates on next season :) 

--Zo & Mo


Testimony part 1: Part 1
Testimony part 2: Part 2